Phlegm
OTT Foundry · Eliott Grunewald
A display serif rooted in American 1970s typography, designed as a tribute to Herb Lubalin and inflected with the expressive character of Ed Benguiat's ITC work.
About
Designed by Eliott Grunewald, Phlegm takes its name from Herb Lubalin's reported favourite word, published in the 1978 issue of U&lc. The design began as a synthesis of several American typefaces from that decade before being reworked to strip away most stroke contrast, push the serifs outward and lean into a Benguiat-like fibre. The result suits posters, album covers and urban-oriented work where raw, unconventional letterforms are the point.
Classification
Phlegm draws on American 1970s typography with accentuated serifs and minimal stroke contrast, evoking the ITC Benguiat style; its expressive, gritty letterforms place it firmly in display serif territory rather than text use.